New Delhi : The Rajya Sabha will take up the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2015 for consideration and passage today.
Following the Supreme Court’s dismissal of a plea against the release of the juvenile offender in the December 16 gang-rape case, Parliamentarians have cut across party lines to seek the passage of the amendments to the Juvenile Justice Act at the earliest.
After the Supreme Court verdict Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal said that a proposed law which could have allowed stronger punishment to the juvenile convict remains pending in Rajya Sabha.
Maliwal also said that the Supreme Court judges shared DCW’s concerns but there is no provision to subvert the existing law.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu has expressed hope that the Bill will be passed today. Earlier, he said the passage of the Bill will be a tribute to the victim and added that the government had made attempts to pass the Bill by listing several times in Rajya Sabha but could not succeed. He accused Congress of disrupting the passage of the same.
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the government is ready and keen to pass the Bill.
“The Government is very keen to pass the Juvenile Justice Bill, it has been listed for consideration and passing for nearly three four days, in this session of Parliament. But because of the fact that house is not able to run, because of oppositions stand particularly of Congress party the bill till date has not been passed,” he said.
However, Congress leader Pramod Tiwary held the Government responsible for the release of the juvenile offender and of not being able to pass the Bill.
TMC leader Derek O’Brien said, the parties should rise above politics and allow the passage of the Bill.
The passage of important Bills is significant today as the Winter Session will end tomorrow.
In Rajya Sabha, apart from The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2015, the Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015; the Atomic Energy (Amendment) Bill, 2015; the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2015; the Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2015 are scheduled for consideration and passing today .
In the Lok Sabha, the Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill, 2015 and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2015 is on the list for further consideration today.
